ECMA 170 : 1ED 92

Section 1 - General
1 Scope
2 Conformance
   2.1 Magnetic tape cartridge
   2.2 Magnetic tape cartridge
   2.3 Generating system
   2.4 Receiving system
3 Normative References
4 Definitions
   4.1 Absolute Frame Number (AFN)
   4.2 Automatic Track Finding (ATF)
   4.3 Area ID
   4.4 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.5 Azimuth
   4.6 Back surface
   4.7 Byte
   4.8 Cartridge
   4.9 Channel bit
   4.10 Data Format ID
   4.11 Early Warning Point (EWP)
   4.12 End of Data (EOD)
   4.13 Error Correcting Code (ECC)
   4.14 Flux transition position
   4.15 Flux Transition spacing
   4.16 Frame
   4.17 Housekeeping Frame
   4.18 Logical Beginning of Tape (LBOT)
   4.19 Magnetic tape
   4.20 Master Standard Amplitude Calibration Tape
   4.21 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.22 Optimum Recording Field
   4.23 Partition boundary
   4.24 Physical Beginning of Tape (PBOT)
   4.25 Physical End of Tape (PEOT)
   4.26 Physical recording density
   4.27 Pre-recording condition
   4.28 Record
   4.29 Reference Recording Field
   4.30 Secondary Standard Amplitude Calibration Tape
   4.31 Secondary Standard Reference Tape
   4.32 Separator Mark
   4.33 Standard Reference Amplitude
   4.34 Tape Reference Edge
   4.35 Test Recording Current
   4.36 Track
   4.37 Virtual End of Tape (VEOT)
5 Environment and safety
   5.1 Testing environment
   5.2 Operating environment
   5.3 Storage environment
   5.4 Transportation
   5.5 Safety
   5.6 Flammability
Section 2 - Requirements for the case
6 Dimensional and mechanical characteristics of the case
   6.1 General
   6.2 Overall dimensions (figures 6 and 7)
   6.3 Loading grip (figure 6)
   6.4 Holding areas
   6.5 Notches of the lid (figures 5 and 8)
   6.6 Lid dimensions (figures 6 to 8)
   6.7 Optical detection of the Beginning and End of Tape
        (figures 9 and12)
   6.8 Bottom side (figures 10 and 11)
   6.9 Hubs (figures 15, 16)
   6.10 Leader and trailer attachment
   6.11 Interface between the hubs and the drive spindles
        (figure 17)
   6.12 Opening of the lid (figure 18)
   6.13 Release of the hub locking mechanism (figures 19, 20)
   6.14 Label areas (figure 21, 22)
Section 3 - Requirements for the unrecorded tape
7 Mechanical, physical and dimensional characteristics of
   the tape
   7.1 Materials
   7.2 Tape length
   7.3 Tape width
   7.4 Discontinuities
   7.5 Total thickness
   7.6 Longitudinal curvature
   7.7 Cupping
   7.8 Coating adhesion
   7.9 Layer-to-layer adhesion
   7.10 Tensile strength
   7.11 Residual elongation
   7.12 Electrical resistance of coated surfaces
   7.13 Light transmittance of the tape
8 Magnetic recording characteristics
   8.1 Optimum Recording Field
   8.2 Signal amplitude
   8.3 Resolution
   8.4 Overwrite
   8.5 Ease of erasure
   8.6 Tape quality
   8.7 Signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) characteristics
Section 4 - Requirements for an interchanged tape
9 Format
   9.1 General
   9.2 Basic Groups
   9.3 Sub-Groups
   9.4 Sub Data Area
10 Method of recording
   10.1 Physical recording density
   10.2 Long-term average bit cell length
   10.3 Short-term average bit cell length
   10.4 Rate of change
   10.5 Bit shift
   10.6 Read signal amplitude
   10.7 Maximum recorded levels
11 Track geometry
   11.1 Track configuration
   11.2 Average track pitch
   11.3 Variations of the track pitch
   11.4 Track width
   11.5 Track Angle
   11.6 Track edge linearity
   11.7 Track length
   11.8 Ideal tape centerline
   11.9 Azimuth angles
12 Recording of blocks on the tape
   12.1 Recorded Main Data Block
   12.2 Recorded Sub Data Block
   12.3 Margin Blocks, Preamble Blocks and Postamble Blocks
   12.4 Spacer Blocks
13 Format of track
   13.1 Track capacity
   13.2 Positioning accuracy
   13.3 Tracking scheme
14 Layout of a Single Data Space tape
   14.1 Device Area
   14.2 Reference Area
   14.3 Position Tolerance Band No.1
   14.4 System Area
   14.5 Data Area
   14.6 EOD Area
   14.7 Post-EOD Area
   14.8 Early Warning Point - EWP
   14.9 Initialization
15 Layout of a Partitioned tape
   15.1 Overall magnetic tape layout
   15.2 Area ID
   15.3 System Area Pack Items No. 3 and No.4
   15.4 Empty Partition
   15.5 Initialization of Partitioned tapes
16 Housekeeping frames
   16.1 Amble Frames
   16.2 System Log Frames
   16.3 Tape management Frames
Annex A - Measurement of the light transmittance of prisms
Annex B - Recognition Holes
Annex C - Means to open the lid
Annex D - Measurement of light transmittance of tape and
          leaders
Annex E - Measurement of Signal-to-Noise ratio
Annex F - Method for determining the nominal and the maximum
          allowable recorded levels
Annex G - Representation of 8-bit bytes by 10-bit patterns
Annex H - Measurement of bit shift
Annex J - Recommendations for transportation
Annex K - Method of measuring track edge linearity
Annex L - Read-After-Write
Annex M - Example of the content of a Basic Group No. 0

Specifies the physical and magnetic characteristics of a 3,81 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge to enable interchangeability of such cartridges. Also specifies the quality of the recorded signals, the recorded format and the recording method, thereby allowing data interchange between drives by means of such magnetic tape cartridges.